CheckMate
by Windchaser
Summary: Garuru finds a way to pass the time when an injury sends him to the hospital.


A/N: Only two characters are mine, the rest belong to Mine Yoshizaki.

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Garuru had wanted to ask Pururu what exactly her definition of "lucky" was. He sure didn't feel very lucky when they'd dragged him out of the briar patch, after his flight pack had un-expectantly died on him during the tail-end of their latest mission. "Keronian pin-cushion" had been a more accurate description of his feelings. He suspected that the phrase had popped up in the minds of his platoon as well, but they were too polite to voice it.

After taking one look at his leg Pururu had declared that they were taking him to Keron's Main Hospital, despite Garuru's feeble protests. He'd passed out shortly after that, so her assessment must have been fairly accurate.

Which had left him here, alone in this private, pristine, sterile and also pretty dull hospital room. It took him all of one day to get tired of it.

This was why he'd trained and honed his reflexes, so he'd avoid serious injuries and thus these kinds of situations. The only break from the monotony was when the nurse brought his tasteless hospital meals and when part of his platoon dropped by during visiting hours.

Tororo had regaled him with how whiny Zoruru had been when Pururu had "de-briar-ed" him, the half-cyborg had been the one to retrieve Garuru from his thorny landing site since "half of you won't even feel the thorns!". Taruru had presented him with a half-eaten box of chocolates, apologizing profusely for allowing Tororo to eat half of the contents when his back was turned. They'd then both offered to sign his cast, but he'd managed to dissuade them in the end. Garuru could only imagine the looks he'd get limping around with a cast that proclaimed that "TORORO R0x0r$".

After breakfast the next day he'd managed to talk the head nurse into helping him get into a wheelchair, but she'd forced him to promise to stay in his room.

Yeah, right. And admire the walls of his room from another position? After they'd made his bed and left him alone Garuru had taken one peek outside to make sure the coast was clear, then he'd wheeled himself off down the corridor.

After the first feeling of euphoria had abated he realized he couldn't get very far like this. While he considered himself to be pretty fit the wheelchair was pretty tricky to maneuver through the hallways of the hospital. Slightly winded he found himself in a well-lit area, littered with tables and chairs, with large windows facing a garden outside.

Near one of the windows stood what appeared to be an old chess table complete with a rather nice set of chess men. Next to it sat a bluish-green colored Keronian, obviously another patient judging by the arm in a cast, bandages wrapped around his torso and the IV drip attached to the other arm, which was moving the pieces around on the board.

Hesitantly Garuru approached the older looking Keronian, coming up on his left side out of politeness as his right eye was just a mess of scars. He'd cleared his throat as he came within hearing distance.

"I do not wish to intrude, but perhaps you'd find it more stimulating to play a game with me instead", Garuru said. He hadn't played chess in a while, but it sure beat studying the ceiling in his room. He regretted not asking Tororo and Taruru to bring him a book when they came by next time.

The other Keronian had wrinkled his forehead, making more lines appear on his already fairly aged face and then cracked a half-smile, revealing sharp canines like his own.

"What can I say, besides accept you offer?" he said. "I usually have to play against a computer opponent as my platoon don't appreciate the fine art that is chess. Facing off against another Keronian, ah, it makes me nostalgic."

Garuru wondered briefly if the old man was going senile with his rantings, but then the other Keronians remaining eye regained its sharp glare and he began to reset the chess men to their proper positions.

"Care to tell me your name, son?" the older Keronian said as he finished.

Garuru grinned, hiding his slight annoyance at being referred to in that manner by a stranger.

"How about you play me for it", he then said. "You win, I tell you my name. I win, you tell me yours."

"Ah'd shake on it, but my right is somewhat tied up at the moment", the bluish-green Keronian said and gestured towards his bandaged right arm.

It was a fairly even game and they managed to drag it out for several hours. They'd played in silence, but Garuru could feel the older Keronian's stare on him on numerous occasions, seemingly probing him for information. In the end Garuru won, but not until most of the chess man had been removed from play and he found himself humbly introduced to 'Corporal Kizuzu'.

"Much overdue for retirement", he'd chuckled scratching the back of his head with his unhurt arm. "But still ready to do what I can for the Keron Forces."

Any further discussions were interrupted when the head nurse burst onto the scene wagging her finger at Garuru.

"Garuru-san! You promised to remain in your room!" she barked. "With that concussion and that leg! They did tell you it was broken in several places and had to be put back together using metal plates?"

The tone of voice implied that she really didn't expect him to answer her question.

"It's alright, head nurse Pomomo", Kizuzu said and waved his left hand. "He was just keepin' me company, tha's all."

The nurse actually cracked a smile at this. Someone was obviously her favorite patient. Garuru resisted his temptation to roll his eyes and with a sigh he allowed himself to be wheeled back down the corridor by the nurse. As he moved away he heard Kizuzu call over to him.

"Perhaps you'll come back and play another game with me, Garuru-kun? I'll be over here tomorrow as well. If they don't lock you in your room, that is."

Garuru could hear the old man chortling jovially as he disappeared out of hearing distance.

Guess he'd have to come up with another price for Kizuzu to play him for, instead of his name, all be because of the nurse.

Garuru realized he actually wanted there to be a next time, surprising but true. He had actually enjoyed himself. They'd probably keep a close watch on him from now on, though. He fumed silently as he returned to his room and was put back into his bed.

Visiting hours the next day brought a surprising treat. A rather frazzled looking Giroro appeared in the door to his room, but his worried expression soon melted away into shock and then annoyance when he saw Garuru calmly reading a magazine the night-nurse had been all too pleased to donate to him (though hat-fashion for females didn't interest him all that much). Something told Garuru that his brother had expected to find him in a coma or close to death, perhaps someone had been spreading a bit of false information. He made sure to retain his stoic expression, but inside he was laughing his ass off. Oh, and he would have to remember to thank Pururu for this, he couldn't think of anyone else who'd try and lure Giroro here.

"Wha-How...You doing?" Giroro spluttered obviously still shocked that things weren't as serious as he'd been tricked into believing.

After shuffling his feet over by the door he finally pulled out a bouquet of somewhat crushed and wilting marigolds.

"I didn't expect you to be awake", Giroro mumbled and placed the flowers on Garuru's lap, blushing profusely.

Garuru had felt oh, so tempted to make some additional comments about his brother's little gift, but let it be. Instead he made small talk by asking him how the invasion of Pekopon was going and watched Giroro visibly relax and become his normal grumpy self when in Garuru's company.

After a bit of entertaining banter the head nurse appeared again and announced that Giroro would have to leave so his brother could get some more rest. Giroro had blushed again when she'd complimented the 'wonderful flowers' and said she'd make sure to put them in water right away.

Garuru picked up his magazine again and steeled himself for another boring wait until the next day's visiting hours, or being discharged, whichever came first. He was surprised when, upon her return with the flowers in a vase, the nurse told him she'd take him over to the 'relaxation area' herself today.

"I thought I'd save you the trouble of going yourself, Garuru-san", she smiled and placed the vase on his nightstand.

As expected Kizuzu was there waiting for him, the chess men already in their starting positions. He flashed a grin at the nurse before acknowledging Garuru with a nod.

As he made his first move Garuru glanced over at the retreating nurse and was just about to open his mouth when Kizuzu spoke.

"Yer wondering why I'm so friendly toward' that nurse, right?" he said and moved one of his pawns.

When there was no answer right away Garuru assumed he shouldn't expect one at all and began to ponder his next move.

"She's my wife."

While not terribly shocked, it wasn't too uncommon for military men to have flings with hospital staff, especially if they were accident prone, like Kizuzu must be judging by the scars on his body, Garuru found his train of thought derailed for a few minutes.

"Well, that explains things", he merely said when he'd finally decided to move his knight forward. Kizuzu grinned and peered over at Garuru.

"Well, if we're askin' personal questions, perhaps I should ask you a thing or two, Garuru-kun?"

"I'd prefer if we just play", Garuru said, clenching his jaw.

"Ah, that's fine by me", Kizuzu said and quickly moved one of his bishops. "Don' want to appear nosy or anything."

After a pause where the only sound was pieces being moved Kizuzu cleared his throat.

"Not getting any female visitors, I hear. A shame, such a handsome lad as yourself."

Garuru gripped the pawn he was holding so hard he feared it would shatter. He put it down in its intended position with loud bang.

"Ah, I apologize, Garuru-kun", Kizuzu said, a look of embarrassment on his face. "It's these damn happy-drugs they feed me."

The older Keronian peered down at the board then added, "How about I give you a handicap, as a way of apologizin'?"

Garuru peered over at Kizuzu. He felt rather stupid now for almost blowing his top over an innocent comment like that. Giroro was supposed to be the overly emotional one of the two of them.

"I think I'd rather beat you without any help", he finally said.

"Reminds me that we never agreed to what we're playin' for this time", Kizuzu said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "How about the winner gets to ask the other any question and receive an honest answer?"

Garuru would come to regret not accepting that handicap when Kizuzu thoroughly beat him just thirty minutes later.

"So, what did he ask you?" Pururu, visitor of the day asked. She'd seemed very pleased when she was told of Giroro's visit the previous day.

"He just asked me how exactly I ended up in here", Garuru said. "Embarrassing as it was to recount my little fall it didn't seem much of a prize to me, which I told him. Then his eye seemed to glaze over and he told me that I 'Should not take your platoon for granted'."

"Well, are you taking us for granted?" Pururu asked after a brief period of silence. Her head was tilted slightly to the left with a thoughtful expression on her face.

"That's a strange question, chief medic Pururu", Garuru huffed and cocked one invisible eyebrow ridge. "Of course I value you all."

The medic smiled at this and got up to leave.

"I hear they're discharging you tomorrow", Pururu said. "I'll make sure to notify the others. Taruru was talking of throwing some sort of party for when you got out of the hospital."

Garuru paled and clenched his teeth.

"Pururu, that will not be neccessary", he choked out.

"Well, we value you as our captain", she smiled and there was a mischievous glint in her eye. "Just as you value us."

With a coy flick of her tail she left Garuru alone in his room.

His upcoming discharge was confirmed twice not much later that day. First when the head nurse arrived to send him on his way to yet another chess-match with Kizuzu and then from the old man himself.

"Can't speak for you of course, Garuru-kun, but ah shall miss this", Kizuzu drawled and gestured toward the chess board, the chess-men already engaged in combat. "Haven't faced an opponent like you in quite some time."

"I do feel grateful that I got to play chess with you, Kizuzu-san", Garuru said. "It made my stay here at the hospital at bit more bearable. And...I believe I'm winning this time."

He grinned in triumph as he moved his rook to check the older Keronian.

"Feel free to dispense with the formalities, Garuru-kun", Kizuzu said and waved his free hand. "And as the sayin' on Pekopon goes, 'It ain't over till the fat one sings'. I might be slightly off there."

Hiding his frustration as Kizuzu escaped check once more and then advanced dangerously on his own king Garuru found himself engaging the other in conversation.

"Familiar with Pekopon?" he asked and moved his king out of harms way once more.

"I'm embarrassed to admit it, but I'm quite fond of their literature", Kizuzu said and grinned. "Especially the 'sci-fi' and 'fantasy' genres. It's amusin' to see what a non-space fairin' race can come up with. You should look up the Pekoponian writer Jules Verne."

Garuru raised an eye-brow ridge in amusement.

"Well, I must admit that I've used my younger brother to procure some of the music produced on Pekopon", he added nonchalantly as he moved his one remaining bishop across the board.

Kizuzu chuckled.

"That's right, we all have our own ways of escapin' when invasion and duty becomes a bit...too much", the older Keronian said. "And don't pretend it never gets to you, Garuru-kun."

Kizuzu peered over at Garuru, his remaining grey eye suddenly very intense.

Unwilling to contemplate the statement Garuru focused on the remaining chess-men and how best to proceed. Perhaps there had been situations in the past when his duty as a soldier had weighed heavy on his shoulders, but it's what he'd been born and raised to do.

Kizuzu suddenly spoke up, startling him a bit.

"I'm very sorry, but this appears to be the end. Check-mate."

Garuru groaned. He hadn't noticed that rook Kizuzu had managed to place strategically over on the left.

"Tell ya what", the older Keronian said, resting his head on his left knuckle. "Why don't you look me up, later, when we're both out of this depressin' place. I'd quite enjoy a rematch with you."

It was with a hint of sadness Garuru wheeled himself away in his wheelchair for what he knew would be the last time, unless Keron forbid, he'd injure himself enought to end up in here again.

When he was being prepared to leave the hospital the next morning the head nurse presented him with a package which she said was a little gift from his "chess-opponent". Unwrapping it revealed an aged leather bound book, the text printed on the cover proclaiming it to be "From the Earth to the Moon" by Jules Verne. 'Pekoponians are an interesting species', it said on a hastily scribbled note included in the package.

He had no time to reflect on it as his platoon burst through the door with a about a dozen colorful balloons in tow. Tororo was blowing a noisemaker and trying to hand another noisemaker to a flustered-looking Zoruru. The party Pururu had threatened him with was apparently going to happen after all. She winked at him briefly as Taruru attached the balloons to the wheelchair Garuru had been placed in.

As Taruru wheeled him through the hallways toward the exit, babbling excitedly about what he had planned for the party, Garuru pondered feigning some new illness just to get out of this rather embarrassing situation.

But then, he realized, if he didn't leave he couldn't have that re-match with Kizuzu. Also, it was obvious that Taruru did mean well with his actions. He was still a kid after all, an excitable child in spirit, while not still in body. Still Garuru sighed and tried to shrink down in the wheelchair, hiding under the cloud of bobbing balloons. This was another good reason not to get himself admitted to the hospital.


End file.
